Pete Winkelman set to be given the Freedom of the Borough in Milton Keynes

Pete Winkelman set to be given the Freedom of the Borough in Milton Keynes

Friday 21 August 2015

Milton Keynes Council is set to confer its highest ceremonial honour on MK Dons’ boss Pete Winkelman later in the year.

Mr Winkelman is set to be awarded the prestigious Freedom of the Borough, making him only the fourth individual in the history of Milton Keynes to receive this honour.

In total the Freedom of the Borough has been granted four times previously in Milton Keynes – on the last occasion to the Infiniti Red Bull Racing team, in March 2014.

Mr Winkelman - along with his family, friends and colleagues - will be guest of honour at a special meeting at the Civic Offices on 12 November, where councillors will discuss giving him the Freedom of the Borough before taking a vote.

Milton Keynes Mayor, Cllr Keith McLean, said: “When I first met Pete I thought he was like a bottle of fizzy pop – brimming with ideas and enthusiasm.

“Four years later that first impression has proved absolutely right and he still uses that tireless energy to bring so many positive things to Milton Keynes.”

Council Leader Pete Marland said: “It’s difficult to quantify just how much Pete Winkelman has done to put Milton Keynes on the map.

“Describing him as a local legend seems like a massive understatement – he really is up there with the likes of the late Jim Marshall and Dame Cleo Laine, both of whom were also awarded the Freedom of the Borough.

“It goes beyond simply the work he has done with the MK Dons - he embodies the spirit of Milton Keynes like few others and cares deeply about our City.”

It was actually Mr Winkelman’s music business background which brought him and his family to the recording studio at Great Linford Manor in the early 90s but with the new century came a new ambition to deliver top flight football to Milton Keynes together with an International standard 30,000 all seater stadium.

The result was the iconic Stadiummk home of the now Championship team MK Dons who kicked off in Milton Keynes in August 2004. Phase one of Stadiummk was opened by the Queen in November 2007 as part of the city’s 40th birthday celebration and the fully completed stadium will hold three pool games as Milton Keynes plays host to the Rugby World Cup in October this year.

Mr Winkelman said: “I am totally overwhelmed to be conferred with this honour. There is something very special in being recognised by your local community and I will be forever grateful that the Council has bestowed on me the Freedom of the Borough. It is particularly special considering who the other recipients have been and, in particular, Jim Marshall who did so much to support me - particularly in the early days of our adventure.

“Bringing football to Milton Keynes was about bringing opportunities for the whole community and I could only have done that in partnership with the many agencies, organisations and individuals who have supported this journey. The Council has been outstanding in this respect and I would like to thank them for their support that has been vital in helping us deliver the first ten years of the club and I know that we can count on them as we move forward to, hopefully, greater things in the future.

“However, none of this can be possible without the support of our fans and the people of Milton Keynes that contribute so much to making our city something that we can all be proud about.”

Tributes were also paid by the other group leaders, Cllrs Edith Bald (Conservative) and Douglas McCall (Liberal Democrat).

Cllr Bald said: “I am absolutely delighted about this award for Pete. He is one of Milton Keynes’ greatest ambassadors and I would like to say:" thank you Pete for everything you have done for MK and we look forward with great excitement for the things yet to come!”

Cllr McCall added: “I have known Pete Winkelman for about 13 years. He has worked very hard to bring league football to Milton Keynes and now we have a Championship side. He is a great ambassador for the city. If you were to personify the 'can do' attitude of Milton Keynes it would be Pete. He really deserves the highest honour MK can bestow.”

The council has on only granted the Freedom of the Borough on four previous occasions, with the honour being conferred upon:

The Right Honourable The Lord Campbell of Eskan, the former Chairman of Milton Keynes Development Corporation, on 18 March, 1982;

Dr James Charles Marshall OBE, on 19 March, 2009;

Dame Cleo Laine, on 31 March, 2011; and

Infiniti Red Bull Racing Team on 20 March, 2014.

The council also conferred, on November 25, 1998, the honour of Freedom of Entry into the Borough on The Royal Green Jackets (now known as The Rifles Regiment), which allows the Regiment to march through the streets of the Borough in full ceremonial, which includes the Regiment’s band and bugles playing.